Monthly Archives: November 2017

Super Deluxe is a program on youtube; it is not aTV show, but looks like it. They hope people willwatch youtube instead of watching TV. Anywayone Super Deluxe program may involve deaf chracters –Marlee Matlin, Josh Feldman and Shoshannah Sternin a drama/comedy show. Right now, details are stillvague. A picture is at:

A deaf child was born to an all-hearing family.Knowing nothing about deafness, the parentsgot advise from pro-CI and anti-CI groups.They put a lot of pressure on the family, buta decision was made not to implant the child.Second decision was to move to a city 100 milesaway where the deaf child will get educationat a deaf school instead of staying home andgetting him mainstreamed. It was in a newspaperstory.

— easy or hard to communicate with deaf

A consultant gave this advice for hearingpeople that want to communicate with thedeaf – without using sign language.Just face the deaf person directly.Speak slowly and don’t shout. Usegestures. Use note and pen, etc. Willit work? It may work if the hearingperson is not scared to communicatewith the deaf, and also with lots ofpatience. It will not work withscared and impatient hearing people!

Tan Teck Sum, not deaf, is a sign language instructor.She was on Singaporean TV trying to teach the host onhow to sign some words. The deaf community ofSingapore is angry for several reasons – she isnot a qualified sign language instructor; thatshe was using wrong signs; she said she usesSEE signs but her name is not on the list ofqualified SEE sign language instructors. Seethe picture at:

The State of Georgia was ordered two years agoto establish mental health services forthe deaf. Two years later, despite the courtorder, the state has done nothing! As aresult, there is a big court case, asdeaf community attorneys want to know whythe state has not done anything.

— new deaf teacher wins university award

Beth Wilson, who is deaf, is a retired electricalengineer, over 30 years with Raytheon. Shejoined the online faculty in 2016 at WorcesterPolytechnic Institute as an online instructor insystems engineering. Recently she won theuniversity exemplary teaching award. As a deafperson she finds teaching online classes morerewarding than teaching students face to face.

There are several companies that would test your DNA,of course, for a fee. Are these DNA tests on deafnessany good? A deaf woman went through a DNA testingand wanted to know why she was born deaf. She hadassumed it was genetics that caused her deafness,but admitted it was not proven. It was for herpeace of mind, knowing that her assumption wascorrect. Is it worth the time and money to getDNA testing? This is a personal decision.A picture is at:

The New England Homes for the Deaf is one of only twofacilities in the nation that offers specializednursing home care and specialized nursing home careand assisted living for people who are both blindand deaf. We should have more such facilities butjust two in the entire USA!

— nation’s sixth most important disabled person is deaf

Jackie Driver, who is deaf and operates a nationaldeaf service agency, has been ranked as the sixthmost influential disabled person in Great Britain.Who is the most influential deaf person in USA?Marlee Matlin, Nyle DiMarco, who else?

A brain (actually artificial intelligence) inside afuture hearing aid? This is what engineers, researchersand scientists are saying that can be done. It maywork for hearing aid users but may not work for the deafsince they may not understand sounds and voices fromhearing aids! A picture is at:

Internet is a public utility – same as electricity,gas, water, sewage, telephone and transportation.But FCC, because of removing net neutrality, issaying internet is not public utility. This meanshigher costs and slower speeds for low incomedeaf people.

— deaf club for hearing

Deaf clubs would serve the deaf community –social, sports, special events, etc. Butwould a deaf club serve a hearing community?The Chester Deaf Centre in Great Britainhas opened its doors to hearing organizationsand hearing groups to host their own events.The Chester Deaf Centre leaders are sayingtheir club is strong because it serves thedeaf community AND hearing community.